BJP Candidates List For West Bengal Elections 2026: 144 Candidates Named in First List

India

-Madhuri Adnal

Bharatiya Janata Party has named candidates for 144 constituencies in the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026, placing several senior leaders on its first list. The announcement positions the party for a direct contest with Trinamool Congress, which currently holds power in the state after a strong victory in 2021.

Suvendu Adhikari will fight from both Bhabanipur and Nandigram, giving fresh edge to the contest. Bhabanipur is represented by Mamata Banerjee, making a direct clash likely there. In the 2021 Assembly polls, Suvendu contested Nandigram and defeated Mamata Banerjee, a result that drew national attention.

West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate details

Dilip Ghosh has been nominated from Kharagpur Sadar, while Agnimitra Paul will contest Asansol South. Former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta is set to run from the Rashbehari seat. These names indicate Bharatiya Janata Party is relying on established leaders to strengthen its position in the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026.

The Election Commission has scheduled the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 in two phases, on April 23 and April 29. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the reduction in phases was required to keep polling easier for voters and officials. Counting for West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu is fixed for May 4.

West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 context and Bharatiya Janata Party position

In the 2021 Bengal elections, Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress won 215 seats, while Bharatiya Janata Party secured 77 and became the main opposition. The current West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 announcement appeared alongside global reports, including Iran calling Israeli strikes on fuel depots “ecocide”, Donald Trump saying “We’ll remember”, and claims of “Fabrication of clips using AI” involving 19 Indians in the UAE.